Ars Poetica

From the commentary:

The ultimate aim of poetry: aut prodesse aut delectare, to teach or to delight, and preferably both.

“For Horace the poet was not a private man, but a public servant, like a succesful statesman or ruler; both wore their laurels with pride, and their rewards came from the same public source” (83).

From the text: 

“men and god and booksellers WON’T PUT UP WITH SECOND-RATE POETS” (92).

“What you haven’t yet published / You can always destroy, but once a word is let go, / It can’t be pulled back” (92).

“The flute player who gets to play / At the Pythian games has long since studied and shuddered / In the presence of his teacher. Today, it’s enough just to say: / “I PEN these marvellous POEMS —I’m a Creative Person” (92).

“I won’t get left back, / Admitting I don’t know what I’ve never yet learned” (92).